For many years, my family leased 900 acres of hunting land at the pinnacle of Fouche Gap. For me, an outdoor fanatic, it was heaven. This property was perhaps the most remote slice of wilderness you could find in Floyd County.
The terrain was very steep and the hollows were populated by huge hardwoods. The tops of the high ridges were where the scrub pines grew. The poor quality of these pines and the ruggedness of the mountains were probably the reason this large tract was never deforested.
Of the many memories I have of hunting and scouting this particular property, the first images are seared in my consciousness. In the early years of the lease, we spent many hours exploring practically every acre. During these expeditions we were shocked to find a large formation of rocks that that were organized into a make-shift worship sanctuary. It was very simple, but stunning to a young man not used to seeing this type of image in the outdoors. It was completely out of place.
One large rock was completely painted white on one side. On the white surface was inscribed, in black, a verse of scripture. (I wish I had wrote down the particular passage, but i just don't remember.) There were smaller rocks organized in what appeared to be seating for those in attendance. I have to say it was pretty erie standing there. Many questions flooded my mind surrounding this scene.
As we continued to explore the tract we found another interesting landmark that lead to answers concerning the sanctuary. At exactly 1100 feet of elevation there was a perfectly engineered trail that lead completely around the mountain. Literally miles and miles of trail had been built for, what seemed to my mind, no reason whatsoever. A little research revealed the origin of the trail and subsequently the rock formation.
During the Great Depression there were groups of young, unemployed Americans organized and employed by the Federal government to complete "conservation" projects. They were paid $1 per day for their labor. Apparently, the group building this trail remained on the mountain for extended periods of time so they created the sanctuary for a place to worship.
This program, the Civilian Conservation Corps, was conceived and implemented by the icon of progressives: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. So, in the name of compassion, FDR created low paying "busy work" for the unemployed instead of actually stimulating the economy so that they could find meaningful work in the private sector.
The sad history of the United States during the early 1930's is constantly referred to by progressives as a shining example of how big government is the answer to major economic problems. But, as with many historical events, the political account of the era has been a distortion of the actual facts.
In a four year
study, two UCLA economists have concluded that FDR's policies did not rescue our economy, but more likely, prolonged the depression by seven years. This evidence combined with the history of the depression of the early 1920's and President Warren G. Harding's
response provide great insight into why the current administration's stimulus spending is proving to be complete failure. The government cannot create wealth. Only the private sector can.
Today we hear talk of jobs "saved" or created. And it is true that millions of Americans do work for state and federal government. But the overwhelming number of the employed in the United States work for small or medium-sized private enterprise. The question is, is government effective in "rescuing" the economy or buffering us from down cycles? The answer is a resounding no.
However, there is an important part the government can play in economic recovery. It has absolutely nothing to do with debt and spending. But as Warren G. Harding demonstrated, the role of government is to empower the private sector by lowering taxes, removing obstacles, and lowering the cost of entry to markets for entrepreneurs. This freedom will result in economic growth. Private sector growth is the way out of recession.
Government growth during recession encourages dependence and decreases the incentive for risk taking. Are these worthless, unproductive "jobs" of the Civilian Conservation Corps the type of job Americans want? Or is the path of freedom and individual accomplishment more in line with human nature? I prefer to take risks and succeed or fail on my own merit.
